Slide-valve mechanism for engines.



F. A. BOWMAN & J. E. BRIGGS.

SLIDE VALVE MECHANISM FOR ENGINES,

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1913.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

SHEET 1.

2 SHEETS THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-LITHOH WASHINGTON, n. c.

F. A. BOWMAN & J. E. BRIGGS.

SLIDE VALVE MEGHANISNL-POR ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1913'.

1,123,986. I Patented Jan.5,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. 9* %96 27 a? 19 I l 19 2 0 MZZ'BI'IE.

THE NORRIS PEfERS co, PHOTO LITHOH WASHING roN D ll TATE PATENT FTC.

FRANK A. BOWMAN AND JOHN E. BRIGGS, OF GILBERT, MINNESOTA.

SLIDE-VALVE MECHANISM FOR ENGINES.

Application filed May 20, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK A. BOWMAN and JOHN E. Bnioos, citizens of the United States, residing at Gilbert, in the countyof St. Louis and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slide-Valve Mechanism for Engines, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to engine valves, and particularly to a valve designed and intended to be used with internal combus tion engines, though not limited to such use.

' The primary object of our invention is the provision of a slide valve wh ch may be used not only for controlling the inlet of fuel into the engine cylinder, but also the outlet therefrom.

A further object is to so construct the valve that it is positive in its operation, both as regards the inlet of a charge and the outlet thereof.

A further object is to provide mechanism conducive to the simplicity of valves of this character and the simplicity of the operating mechanism therefor.

A further object is to provide means whereby the pressure of the fluid within the cylinder of the engine may be used to assist in opening the exhaust valve.

A further object is to provide means whereby the valve may be readily ad usted.

A still further object is to so construct and arrange the valve and valve mechanism that a large area of port opening may be secured and an unobstructed outlet for the explosive gases be provided.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of an internal combustion engine constructed in accordance with our invention showing the valve in elevation and moving upward to establish communication between the intake manifold and the port 4. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the engine shown in Fig. 1 partly in section and showing the valve in the position taken during compression and explosion. Fig. 3

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

Serial No. 768,881.

is a like view to Fig. 2 but showing the valve in the position taken when the exhaust port is open. Fig. 4 is a section on the line H of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a diagram of the I cam. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the valve used by us separate from the valve casing. Fig. 7 is a view of a modified valve operating mechanism, the view being partly in elevation and partly diagrammatic.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to these drawings, 2 designates the cylinder of an explosive engine of any usual or ordinary type but illustrated as the cylinder of a four-cycle internal combustion engine. Disposed within the cylinder is the,

piston 3 connected by a wrist pin to the piston rod as is usual. The cylinder is jacketed and is in all respects like any other cylinder except that it is provided with a relatively large port 4 at its upper end which forms not only the inlet port but also the exhaust port. This port 4 opens into a valve chest or chamber 5 formed with or attached to the outer face of the cylinder, this valve chest being preferably rectangular in form and the face of the valve chest being closed by means of a plate 6. The valve chest extends somewhat above the port 4 and at its lower end is provided with a stuffing box 7. The valve chest is formed with two openings 8 and 9, the opening 8 leading into an exhaust manifold 10 and the opening 9 leading into the gas manifold 11.

Disposed within the valve chest 5 is a valve 12 of the character illustrated in Fig. 6. This valve is preferably rectangular in section as illustrated in Fig. 4 and is of a length just sufficient to cover both of the ports 8 and 9 when the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 2 and at its lowest point of movement. The outer face of the valve is flat while the inner face is beveled as at 13 when the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the flat face 14.- will just close the port 4: and extend on each side slightly beyond this port. hen the valve commences to move upward, however, the upper corner of the cutaway portion will move beyond the port 4 and permit the charge to pass from the gas manifold through the port 4 and to the upper end of the cylinder. The valve 12 has a screw threaded socket-for the reception of a valve stem 15, this stem passing down through the stufling'box 7. The valve stem 15 is formed in two sections, the adj a= cent portions of the two sections being reversely screw threaded as at-16 and engaged by a collar-l7 so that by rotating the collar and locknuts in one direction or the other, the stem sections may be moved apartfrom each. other or drawn together to thereby adjust;the valve stem and thereby adjust the position of the valve with relation to the valve chest. A spring 18, acts to urge the.v

valve and the valve stem upward, the, valve stem bemgrdrawndown by means of a cam or like .mechanism but urged upward by means of the. spring.

The means whereby we preferably secure the downward movement of the valve is as follows: The lower end ofthe valve rod is bifurcated and carries a transverselyextending. roller 19. Pivotally mounted in any: suitable mannerisa lever 20 which is angulanin form, the extremity of the lever extending over the roller 19 and engagingtherewith. Above the pivot of the, lever there is provided a cam roller 21. The spring 18 drawing upon the valve stem Wlll actv to, urge the lever 21 into position to.

bring. the roller thereon in contact with, a camv 22. This cam is formed with three faces. The outermost face. designated 28 acts to cause the drawing down of the valve.

we mayprovide the cylinder wall with a.

port 26 adapted to be uncovered by the piston, when the piston is moving downward and just before the exhaust port is uncovered sothat the exploded gases can pass through this port and be conducted by.

means of a passage 27 into the-upper'end of the valve chest at ,28, thus acting to urge the valve downward. Thus the pressurev would assist. in. starting, the valve. and tend to overcome the side friction due to the pressure within the cylinder. It will be understood that the port 26 would not be opened to the exhaust during the suction stroke and would therefore have no efiect in diluting the charge.

One of the main advantages of our invention resides in the fact that one large port is used for both the inlet of the charge and the passage of the exhaust. It will further be seen that the passage of the gases is entirely unobstructed.

While we have illustrated a mechanical means for shifting the valve, we wish it understood that the, valve could also be operatedelectrically by means of solenoids and springs, and further it will be obvious that by modifyingthe cam it could be used for: a two-cycle engine. This electrical means. for, actuating the valve is illustrated in Fig-,6. In this figure, l5 designates the valve stemconstructed in thesame manner as previously described. This valve stem is providedwith spaced collars or shoulders 29 between which are disposed the operating springs 30 which act to bring the valve stem back; to a neutral position. The lower end of the valve; stemis bifurcated andprovided with a. roller-31. Pivotally mounted adjacent to the valve stem is an arm 32, the free end of which extends between the ears formedon the lowerend of the. valve stem 15 and restsupon the roller 31.

Disposed above and below the arm are the solenoids 83 and 33 whose cores engagewith the arm 32. Disposed above and below the arm 32 are the rubber bumpers 3-1 for, limiting. themovement of the arm and cushioning the arm so as to prevent noise. Each of these solenoids is connected on; one side to a magneto or battery designated35 and each solenoid on its other side is connectedby means of a wire 36 to an armature, these armatures being designated 37 and 3?. These armaturesare insulated from each other by insulation 38. The armatures are, curvedso asv to surround a shaft 89, this shaft being connected by a wire or otherconnection 40 to the source of current 35. The shaftBQis formed with they .outwardlyz projecting contact point. 411 which is resiliently urged outward and is adapted as theshaft rotates to contact successively with the inner faces of the armatures37, 3%. This shaftis operatively connected tothe crank shaft of the engine so as to be operated one-half as fast as the crank shaft,

It will be obvious now. that as theshaft 39 rotates .in the direction of the arrow, the spring supported. contact,member e1 will comein contact first with onecof the arma s. her y e d ng urrent hrough the solenoid magnet 33". This will draw downward upon the coil of the solenoid thus drawing the valve to the exhaust position.

As soon as the contact point 41 has passed the armature 37, the opposite solenoid 33 will be energized and the valve will be drawn up to its fully raised position thus establishing communication between the cylinder and the inlet port from the carbureter. The valve will remain in this position until the contact point has passed the armature 37. As soon as it has so passed, the circuit through the solenoid 33 will be broken and the springs 30 will then draw the valve to its neutral position at which time compression and expansion will take place after which the operation is repeated. The figure shows the shaft 89 at such position that the contact point is just about to engage the armature 37 to permit the exhaust of the exploded gases.

It is obvious that ignition would be secured by means of a timer operated by the half time shaft. Neither the timer nor the half time shaft are shown as these elements are well known and need no description. It will be noted that the rubber buffer and the springs take up the shock of the valve and prevent the metal striking when the solenoids operate. By providing two extra commutators, these making another set, and making provision for shifting the shaft carrying the contact point laterally to make contact with the second set of commutator-s, the electrically operated valve may be reversed in its action and so reverse the en gine. This is also true of the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 6 as it is obvious that a second cam like that shown in Fig. 6 but reversely arranged could be mounted upon the cam shaft and these cams shifted so as to bring one or the other into position to coact with the valve operating lever 20. lhe construction whereby this may be complished is an obvious 'one to any one skilled in the art.

What we claim is:

1. The combination with a cylinder having a port, of a valve casing having a pair of ports, and a single slide valve within the valve casing adapted to establish or cut off alternately communication between the cylinder port and either of the ports in the valve casing, the cylinder being provided with a duct leading from the lower portion of the cylinder into the upper end of the valve casing, whereby the pressure within the cylinder will assist in moving the valve downward.

2. The combination with a cylinder having a port, of.avalve casing having a pair of ports disposed, one oppos te the cylinder port and one in offset relation to the cylinder port, and a slide valve moving in the valve casing and having a flat outer face adapted to simultaneously close both of the valve casing ports, the face of the valve toward the cylinder being beveled for a portion of its length, the remainder of the face being flat and of an area adapted to close the cylinder port.

3. The combination with a cylinder having a port at one end, of a valve casing having a port opposite the cylinder port and a port below the cylinder port, a slide valve mounted in the casing, the outer face of the valve being fiat and having a length sufiicient to close both of the casing ports, the inner face of the valve being fiat at its upper end and inclined outward and downward at its lower end, the flat upper end of the inner face having an area equal to the area of the cylinder port and being adapted to close the same, and means for reciprocating said valve.

l. The combination with the cylinder of an explosive engine having a port at its upper end, of a valve casing disposed on said cylinder and having an exhaust port disposed immediately opposite the cylinder port and an inlet port disposed in offset relation to the cylinder port, a slide valve mounted in the casing and having a flat outer face of a length suiiicient to close both of said valve casing ports, the inner face of the valve at its upper end being flat and of an area sufficient to close the cylinder port, the inner face of the valve below the flat portion being downwardly and outwardly inclined, and means for causing reciprocation of the valve.

5. The combination with the cylinder of an explosive engine having a port at one end, of a valve casing having a pair of ports disposed, one opposite the cylinder port and the other in offset relation thereto, the cylinder being provided with a duct leading from the lower portion of the cylinder into the upper end of the valve casing, and a slide valve in the valve casing adapted to establish communication between the cylinder port and either one of the valve casing ports.

6. The combination with a chamber having a port at one end, of a valve casing having a pair of longitudinally spaced ports, one of said ports being disposed directly opposite the port in the valve casing, of a valve movable within said valve casing to three positions, and means for successively shifting the valve in one direction to open the inlet port, shifting it in the opposite di rection for a portion of its stroke to close the inlet port and the port entering said chamber and then shifting it a further distance in the same direction to establish communication between the port entering the establish communication between either one of the valve ports and the cylinder port, a valve-stemadjnstably arranged to increase or decrease the distance between the extremity of the valve-stem andthe valve, and mechanism for reciprocating the valveestem and the valve.

In testimony whereofwe, aflix our signa- 15 tnres; in presence of two witnesses,

FRANK A. BOWMAN. JOHN E. BRIGGS;

Witnesses:

VAINO ,HiLL, H. E. MAoINms.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,tby addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. ,0. 

